Guest Opinion | Alec Fredericks: PUSD Teachers Deserve More Respect… From PUSD

Faced with a shrinking student enrollment, PUSD’s school board and administration are continuing to show an utter lack of both critical and creative thinking when it comes to addressing the myriad problems contributing to that enrollment decline. Among the most pressing issues that have a direct impact on student achievement and student enrollment is the quality of education in the district.

Research suggests that, among school-related factors, teachers are the number one factor in student achievement. When it comes to student performance on reading and math tests, teachers are estimated to have two to three times the effect of any other school factor, including services, facilities, and leadership. In order to attract and maintain high-caliber teachers, the district needs to ensure they are paying competitive and livable wages.

United Teachers of Pasadena (UTP), the union that represents nearly 800 PUSD teachers, counselors, librarians, nurses, school/clinical psychologists, and speech-language pathologists,, is currently negotiating with the district for, among other things, more money for teachers. So why do PUSD teachers need more money? Not only are PUSD entry-level teaching salaries lower than many neighboring school districts, but the maximum an experienced teacher can make is significantly less than almost all neighboring school districts, including Alhambra Unified School District, Baldwin Park Unified School District and Hacienda La Puente Unified School District. Why would a qualified candidate decide to teach at PUSD when the potential for growth is so much less? The answer to that is, sadly, they won’t.

While UTP has asked for a 12.25% salary increase for all their members – reasonable given cost of living, the already low wages, and a desire to attract new teachers – the district initially cried poverty while offering a tiny 3% raise to its teachers. Magically, after many teachers and UTP complained, the district was able to increase the offer to 8% during the last negotiation session, still crying poverty. PUSD’s argument that they don’t have the money to pay teachers an additional 4.25% doesn’t hold water.

Based on the variance of the adopted budget and unaudited actuals of the previous year, the district consistently over-budgeted for Books, Supplies and Contracted Services by $5 million for the past six years, and by at least $10 million in the past four years, topping at $18 million for two of those years. Certainly the district can afford $4.25 million in raises or an additional 4.25% for raises that UTP requested in order to remain competitive with neighboring districts, which still leaves at least $5.75 million – $13.75 million in consistent over-budgeting.

Having projections that are closer to actual expenditures would create a more accurate representation of the funds available for raises. Based on the last 6 years, the district consistently over-budgets for Books, Supplies and Contract Services. After six years, it’s time to adjust and audit the adopted budget accordingly to bring down the budget to reflect more accurately what the district actually spends in these areas, which opens up the opportunity to finally give the raises our teachers deserve.

Why hold onto money when it could be invested now in the people that impact students the most: teachers? There is still time for PUSD’s Board of Trustees and Interim Superintendent to not only do what’s best for its teachers, but to also start moving in the right direction to do what’s right for the entire district.

Investing in teachers is investing in students. Providing the teachers the common sense salary increase they ask for is an opportunity for the PUSD Board of Trustees and Interim Superintendent to prove they are truly concerned with the children of the district and those who teach them.

Alec Fredericks is a father of two children and a resident of East Pasadena, and has been a PUSD parent for 11 years.